1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to improved data processing systems and in particular to improved methods and systems for manipulating data within a distributed data processing system. Still more particularly the present invention relates to an improved method and system for manipulating distributed heterogeneous data within a distributed data processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The utilization of data processing systems to manipulate data is well known in the prior art. Early data processing systems were capable of manipulating small amounts of data which had been stored within the data processing system in a consistent rigid format. As the complexity of modern data processing systems has increased, so has the amount and complexity of data which may be manipulated by those systems.
While the increased speed and size of modern data processing systems permits the storage and manipulation of large amounts of data an additional factor must also be considered. It is not uncommon for large data processing systems to be created utilizing large numbers of subsystems which may be geographically distributed over large distances. As a direct result of such distributions of data processing systems it is increasingly common for large amounts of heterogeneous data to be available to a user within such a distributed data processing system. By "heterogeneous" data what is meant is data which is not consistent as to data type, data format, data attributes or data source parameters with other data stored within the data processing system.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art the increased complexity and heterogeneity of data within a modern data processing system has caused a concomitant increase in the complexity of the problems associated with retrieving and manipulating desired data. One solution to this problem is the utilization of so-called "tightly-coupled" systems in which all data within the system is connected to a single bus utilizing mass storage devices which are coupled to that bus. In this manner, such devices operate as a single unit.
Alternatively, "loosely-coupled" systems exist which permit data to be exchanged among units within the system by requiring all users to be aware of system topology and resources. An example of this type of system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,988. While such systems permit data to be widely accessed throughout the system, they require preknowledge of system resources and do not provide a consistent interface into various data types which may be stored within the system.
Thus, it should be apparent that a need exists for a method and system which permits the storage and manipulation of distributed heterogeneous data within a data processing system.